Circular binding machine for woven and knitted goods



Nov. 25, 1969 R? FLAC H ETAL CIRCULAR BINDING MACHINE FOR WOVEN AND KNITTED GOODS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 21, 1968 Nov. 25, 1969 R. FLACH ETAL 3,479,976

CIRCULAR BINDING MACHINE FOR WOVEN AND KNITTED GOODS Filed June 21, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 NOV. 25, 1969 R H ETAL I 3,479,976 I CIRCULAR BINDING MACHINE FOR WOVEN AND KNITTED GOODS Filed June 21, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 filllllallllllllllllil Nov. 25, 1969 R. FLACH ETAL CIRCULAR BINDING MACHINE FOR WOVEN AND KNITTED GOODS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 21, 1968 United States Patent CIRCULAR BINDING MACHINE FOR WOVEN AND KNITTED GOODS Rolf Flach, Kempten, and Fritz Krause, Durach, Germany, assignors to Kemptener Maschinenfabrik G.m.b.H., Kempten, Allgau, Germany Filed June 21, 1968, Ser. No. 738,976 Claims priority, application Germany, June 21, 1967, 1,660,910, 1,660,911 Int. Cl. D05b 7/00, 69/02 US. Cl. 112-25 21 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention It is known to provide a circular binding machine wherein the machine drive is provided with a selectively actuatable clutch and an infinitely variable speed transmission interconnected so that the clutch disengages only after the stitching or sewing rate has been reduced. Combined with these two elements, there is a third element, that is a needle positioning element for always arresting the sewing needle in a position outside of the needle ring. Accordingly, any interruption of the machine drive has as a prerequisite that the stitching rate or sewing rate be reduced. Also, the sewing needle is always arrested in a position outside of the needle ring. Thus, whenever the machine drive is turned oif, the machine necessarily performs the above three functions of the three elements. In many cases, however, it is only required to interrupt the drive of the sewing needle without consideration being given to the previous stitching rate or to the position of the needle upon standstill. Furthermore, the reduction of speed according to the transmission entails a decrease in the stitching time, whereby a controlled stopping of the binding machine is made difficult. Finally, the sudden shut-off in the case of needle resetting always represents an additional impact stress or shock load for the machine.

Summary of the invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a binding machine that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages by being more versatile and flexible to accommodate various desired procedures.

The above object is accomplished according to the present invention by interconnecting the actuating means for the infinitely variable speed transmission, the shiftable stop of the needle positioning means, and the sewing needle machine drive in such a manner that the machine drive is turned off selectively at a high stitching rate without considering the needle position, or at a low stitching rate in a conventional manner with needle resetting.

A particularly simple and advantageous specific embodiment of the present invention employs a control for moving the shiftable stop into its abutting position only after the variable speed transmission has been set to a low stitching rate.

A further improvement is obtained by providing a hand lever to momentarily shift the stop and actuate the sewing needle drive directly or with a minimum transmission linkage for conducting individual stitch switching at a minimum time loss and with quick response.

There are many advantages with respect to the circular binding machine according to the present invention. The drive for the sewing needle may be interrupted selectively with or without needle positioning or resetting. Also, needle positioning or resetting is conducted only at a low stitching rate so that a sudden shut 0E and high impact stresses connected therewith are avoided. Furthermore, the machine may be switched on and olf by means of a single foot pedal in a conventional manner, and can also be arrested after previously or simultaneously reducing the stitching rate with needle resetting. Due to the arrangement according to the present invention of the motor control for interrupting the drive of the sewing needle and the stop for positioning the sewing needle, short switching paths or control distances are obtained for quick and accurate response. The reduction in the stitching rate may be accomplished before a critical point is reached in the binding operation, so that a rapid and controlled shut down of the binding machine is possible at any desired point of the binding seam. Also, simple operating elements are provided so that any desired number of individual stitch switching steps or operations may be executed in a likewise arbitary sequence. In this manner, the binding machine, which has been turned off after conducting a rather long binding procedure shortly before the termination of the seam to be bound, can be turned on by an appropriate brief manipulation of a hand operated lever, once or several times, and the seam may be closed off accurately with respect to the stitches. The control transmission path between this hand operated lever and the components to be actuated is either direct or extremely short so that delays caused by the transmission linkage are avoided and thus a rapid and functionally safe switching is made possible. According to the broad aspects of the present invention, this lever may be other than a hand lever, although a hand lever is preferred with a location at a readily accessible position with respect to the operator.

Brief description of the drawing Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more clear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partial side elevation view of a circular binding machine according to the present invention, with portions in section;

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line IIII of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a somewhat schematic illustration of the machine control box employing a plurality of pedals;

FIGURE 4 is another partial side elevation view of the binding machine according to the present invention, with portions in section, and including the floor control unit;

FIGURE 5 is a view of a portion of FIGURE 4 with the control elements in another position;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, but with the control elements in a further position;

FIGURE 7 is a partial side elevation view, with portions in section, of the binding machine with an individual stitch switching device, with the device being actuated to turn the machine drive on; and

FIGURE 8 is a partial side elevation view with portions in section, similar to FIGURE 7, but with the drive being turned off.

Detailed description of the drawing As shown in FIG. 1, the binding machine gear box or gear housing 1 is carried by tubular frame 2 or the like. A ball bearing 3 rotatably mounts a needle ring disc 4 on the gear box 1. The needle ring disc 4 is connected to be rotatable with an overhead arm 5 containing therein the drive unit 6 for the sewing needle 7. A ring of needles 8 is rotatably mounted on the needle ring disc 4 and comprises a plurality of needles 9 arranged in a closed circular row. The sewing needle 7 and the claw gripper (not shown), as well as the needle ring 8 of the needle row are driven from the machine main shaft 10, which is disposed coaxially with respect to the vertical axis of the machine. The lower end of the main shaft 10 is provided with a pulley 11 for engaging a V-belt 12, which is driven by means of a motor 13 (FIGURE 4). The above structure has been briefly described because it may be conventional and the details are not important to the broader aspects of the present invention.

As shown more clearly in FIGURE 4, the drive motor 13 is provided with an adjustable V-belt pulley 14, which constitutes an infinitely variable speed transmission for varying the speed of the main shaft 10 and thus the stitching or sewing rate; the pulley 14 being adjustable with respect to its effective radius in a known manner.

Within the downwardly extending tubular portion of the needle ring disc 4, there is concentrically provided a driving collar or hub 15 that is coaxially mounted on the main shaft 10 for rotation therewith and for relative coaxial displacement. For this purpose, the main shaft 10 is provided with a non-circular profile, for example, a hexagonal profile (see FIGURE 2), and the hub 15 is provided with a corresponding internal profile. An elastic tubular member 16 is drivingly connected concentrically between the hub 15 and an outer sleeve 17. The outer sleeve 17 is provided with a radially extending stop 18 for selected abutting cooperation with a counter-stop 19 on the needle ring disc 4. A shifting ring 20 is rotatably mounted on the lower end of the hub 15 by the interposition of a suitable roller bearing. A shifting fork 21 is provided for moving the shifting ring 20 axially up and down for correspondingly moving the assembly 15, 16, 17 up and down. A switch 22 is mounted on the housing 1 for energizing and de-energizing the motor 13 through engaging cooperation with the shifting fork 21 or the shifting ring 20. Preferably, the switch 22 assumes its shut off or de-energizing position before the abutment or stop 18 engages the counter-stop 19 during downward movement of the shifting ring 20. The switch 22 is preferably a microswitch to obtain a short control path and quick response.

A control or switch box 23 is provided between the legs of the tubular frame 2, which box is more clearly illustrated in FIGURES 36. The switch box 23 has a plurality of control foot pedals 24, 25 and 26 that are pivcited about a common axis 27. The pedal 25 is drivingly connected with a pivotally mounted control lever 28 and the pedal 24 is drivingly connected with a pivotally mounted control lever 29, which levers are disposed side by side. The free end of the control lever 28 is connected with a Bowden wire 30, which wire 30 will control the adjustment of the V-belt pulley 14 in a conventional manner. In contrast, the shifting fork 21 is connected by means of a further transmission, for example, a Bowden wire 31, with a pivotally mounted bell-crank or intermediate lever 32. One free end of the lever 32 is connected to the wire 31 and the other free end is provided with a laterally extending roller 33, which extends into the pivoting range of a cam edge 34 of the control lever 29 and a cam edge 35 of the control lever 28 (FIGURES 5 and 6). The cam edge 34 is constructed so that the intermediate lever 32 will be pivoted between a shut off position wherein the switch 22 is turned off and the stop 18 is in its abutting position, and an actuating position with the switch 22 turned on and the stop 18 out of abutment. The

cam edge 35 is constructed with steps, the upper rear step permitting the intermediate lever 32 to assume its switch-off position, whereas the other farther protruding step makes it possible to turn off the switch 22, The third foot pedal 26 actuates the Bowden wire 36 for engaging and disengaging the upper portion 5 of the machine (FIG- URE 3), so that this upper portion 5 may be pivoted.

In operating the machine, the control levers 28, 29 are pivoted in the clockwise direction, according to FIGURE 6, to turn off the motor 13, place the stop 18 in its abutting position, and set the V-belt pulley 14 in a position for a lower stitching rate. If thereafter the pedal 24 and thus the control lever 29 are pivoted in the counter-clockwise direction, one roller 33 moves along the cam edge 34 whereby the intermediate lever 32 is likewise pivoted in the counter-clockwise direction. The pivoting of the shifting fork 21, effective thereby, lifts the stop 18 out of the range of the counter-stop 19 and thereafter switches the switch 22 into its turned on or energized position; thus, the machine starts its operation with a low stitch rate.

If the pedal 25 is released simultaneously or subsequentlly with respect to the release of the pedal 24, the stitching rate will automatically assume its maximum value, which may have an upper limit determined by a setscrew in accordance with the efiiciency of the operator.

If the machine is to be shut down at a high stitching rate, the pedal 24 is pivoted in the clockwise direction. Thereby, one roller 33 is lifted off of the cam edge 34, the other roller 33 rests against the projecting lower step of the cam edge 35 (FIGURE 5). Thus, the shifting fork 21 is pivoted in the counter-clockwise direction so that only the switch 22 assumes its turned off position, but the abutment 18 can still freely rotate, that is, the abutment 18 does not enter into the zone of the counter-stop 19. The needle 7 may be thus arrested in any desired position without resetting. Solely by pivoting the control lever 29 into its switched on position, by means of the foot pedal 24, the machine may be started up at the fixed set maximum stitching rate (FIGURE 4).

If the needle 7 is to be arrested with needle resetting, the stitching rate is first reduced as much as possible by the pedal 25. Thereafter, the pedal 24 is likewise shifted in the clockwise direction so that one roller 33 of the intermediate lever 32 moves along the cam edge 34 and the other roller 33 arrives in the zone of the upper step of the cam edge 35 (FIGURE 6). Thereby, the shifting fork 21 pivots a distance in the clockwise direction such that, after the switch 22 is released, the stop 18 is shifted downwardly in the axial direction; thus, the stop 18 comes into the range of the counter-stop 19 for abutment and needle positioning. Due to the low speed of the main shaft corresponding to the low stitching rate and the elastic element 16, only a moderate impact stress results. Of course, both pedals 24 and 25 may also be operated simultaneously. The switching-on operation is conducted in a similar manner but in the reverse order.

After the machine has been turned off with needle resetting, movement of the sewing needle 7 during the pivoting of the upper portion or support arm 5 is avoided, particularly in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the main shaft 10, by an addition abutment 37 that is provided peripherally spaced from the counterstop 19 on the needle ring disc 4, which abutment 37 is spring-loaded for one-way action (FIGURE 2). The counter-stop 19 and the abutment 37 are peripherally spaced from each other so that the stop 18 may enter therebetween in the forward direction by camming aside the spring-loaded abutment 37 but is prevented from exiting toward the rear by means of the stop 37 assuming its outward position under the influence of the spring as shown in FIGURE 2.

It is contemplated that a clutch may be provided for interrupting the needle drive, instead of the switch 22 for turning the motor 13 on and off. The clutch would be disengaged in a similar manner to the actuation of the switch 22 before the stop 18 enters into its abutting position. With such a clutch arrangement, the motor 13 would continue to operate, so that, if desired, any attachments connected thereto would remain in operaion, whereas the machine main shaft would be at a standstill.

At the end of each binding seam it is necessary to arrest the binding machine in a position corresponding with the accurately formed stitch. This can only be done inaccurately when conducted directly from the binding process taking place at a high speed. For this reason, the machine is turned off in such a manner that it will be arrested before the final stitch, with the missing needle stitches being completed by turning the machine by hand, according to the known processes for using circular binding machines prior to the present invention. However, the above-described apparatus of the present invention may be further improved by simple means in such a manner that individual-stitch forming operations may be conducted in any desired number and in any desired sequence. For this purpose, an opreating lever 40 is rotatably mounted to the gear box 1, which lever 40 is preferably a hand lever and extends underneath a pin 41 secured to the shifting fork 21, as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. A tension spring 42 is disposed between the operating lever 40 and the gear box 1 to bias the operating lever 40 in the shut off position according to FIGURE 8. By pivoting the operating lever 40 in the counter-clockwise direction (FIGURE 7), the shifting fork 21 is pivoted into the switch-on or energizing position, so that the machine is started. Thus it is seen that by briefly actuating the operating lever 40, the operating lever 40 after being released at once returns to its shut off position, whereby the machine is turned off. In this manner the switching operations may be conducted for any desired period without any difiiculty so that the sewing needle 7 will, with certainty, execute only a single stitch.

It is also contemplated that the operating lever 40 may engage the pin 43 of the shifting ring 20, which pin 43 extends out of an elongated slot 38, with a corresponding construction on the diametrically opposed side; the switching pin 39 of the switch 22, in turn, abuts against the pin 43. The pin 42, as well as the switching pin 39, can also abut the operating lever 40 directly in a separate manner. It is furthermore possible to arrange the operating lever 40 directly at the shifting fork 21, for example by placing it thereover. In order to avoid any shifting of the transmission unit 31, as well as the pedal connected thereto, when the operating lever 40 is operated, the shifting fork 21 can also have a bipartite construction in such a manner that the two parts rest against each other in abutting relationship in the turned on position. In this manner, only one part is pivoted by the operating lever 40, whereas the other part, which is connected to the Bowden wire 31 will remain at rest; this specific construction has not been shown in detail because of its simplicity. A similar connection responsive only to a tractive force can also be provided between the shifting fork 21 and the Bowden wire 31; in this connection, the end of the Bowden wire 31 lifts out of its bearing in the switch-0n position, as shown in FIGURE 7. Suitably, the operating lever 40 is directly constructed as a hand lever arranged so that it may be readily manipulated by the operator. It is also contemplated that the operating lever 40 may be connected with a special pedal, for example by way of a connecting rod hingedly connected thereto. Also, it is contemplated that the operating lever 40 may be electrically actuated, for example by means of a switching magnet briefly actuated by push button to be operated either by the hand or the foot of the operator.

Although a single embodiment of the present invention has been specifically described and illustrated with variations, further embodiments, modifications and variations are contemplated within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

We claim:

1. A circular binding machine for woven and knitted goods, comprising a needle ring; a sewing needle mounted for cooperating sewing with said needle ring; power means for operating said sewing needle; a variable speed transmission drivingly connected between said power means and said sewing needle; needle positioning means actuatable to stop said needle in a position withdrawn from said needle ring; operator control means for selectively only discontinuing the drive of said sewing needle without actuating said needle positioning means and said variable speed transmission, and selectable to actuate said needle positioning means only after actuating said variable speed transmission to reduce the stitching rate.

2. The circular binding machine according to claim 1, said variable speed transmission is infinitely variable within a predetermined relatively wide range of speeds; said power means including an electric motor; a frame; said needle ring being rotatably mounted about an axis in opposed directions with respect to said frame; means mounting said sewing needle for independent relative rotation with as a unit respect to said frame about said axis; said needle positioning means including a shiftable stop and being operable to position said needle independently of the rotational position of said needle as a unit about said axis; said control means interrupting the drive to said sewing needle by de-energizing said electric motor.

3. The machine according to claim 2, said power means including a main drive shaft; said shiftable stop being mounted on said main drive shaft for rotation therewith and axial displacement with respect thereto; elastic means provided drivingly between said shiftable stop and said main drive shaft to provide a flexible connection therebetween.

4. The binding machine according to claim 2, said variable speed transmission being normally biased to its position of highest stitching rate; adjustable means for selectively setting said highest stitching rate.

5. The machine according to claim 2, 'ncluding an operating lever means for independently shifting said shiftable stop for interrupting the drive between said power means and said sewing needle.

6. The machine according to claim 2, wherein said control means is operable to actuate said needle positioning means only after first actuating said variable speed transmission to reduce the stitching rate of said sewing needle; said needle positioning means including a portion relatively stationary with respect to the needle drive and being operable to shift said shiftable stop into engagement with said relative stationary portion.

7. The binding machine according to claim 2, wherein said control means includes at least two manually operable pedals, one of said pedals being drivingly connected to said infinitely variable transmission for actuation thereof; said control means including an intermediate lever being drivingly connected to said power means for actuation thereof to interrupt the drive to said sewing needle and drivingly connected to said needle positioning means for actuation thereof; both of said pedals being engageable with said intermediate lever for actuation thereof; said control means actuating said needle positioning means by shifting said stop only after first actuating said variable speed transmission to reduce the stitching rate of said sewing needle.

8. The binding machine according to claim 7, said control means further including a separate pivotally mounted control lever drivingly connected, respectively, to each of said pedals for actuation thereby; each of said control levers having a cam surface and said intermediate lever having a follower surface in engagement with said cam surfaces.

9. The binding machine according to claim 8, said control means actuating said needle positioning means only after first interrupting the drive of said sewing needle.

10. The binding machine according to claim 9, including a main drive shaft; said shiftable stop being mounted on said main drive shaft for axial displacement with respect thereto and rotation therewith; said needle positioning means including a shifting fork for axially displacing said shiftable stop; said control means including a motor switch mounted for actuation by shifting of said shifting fork.

11. The binding machine according to claim 10, including an operating lever means for independently shifting said shiftable stop for interrupting the drive between said power means and said sewing needle.

12. The binding machine according to claim 11, wherein said operating lever is operatively mounted to said frame and frictionally engages said shifting fork.

13. The binding machine according to claim 11, including means biasing said operating lever into its inoperative position.

14. The binding machine according to claim 11, wherein said operating lever is a manually operated lever engaging said shifting fork.

15. The binding machine according to claim 14, wherein said operating lever is operatively mounted to said frame and frictionally engages said shifting fork.

16. The binding machine according to claim 14, including a one-way frictional abutting engagement in the drive transmission between said control means and said shifting fork.

17. The machine according to claim 14, wherein said control means is operatively connected to said shifting fork by means of two parts abutting in the direction of actuation and provided with lost motion in the opposite direction.

18. The binding machine according to claim 7, wherein said pedals are pivotally coaxially mounted side by side for simultaneous operation.

19. The binding machine according to claim 18, said control means including a third pedal coaxially pivotally mounted with respect to said two pedals; and including means for selectively rotating said needle as a unit about said axis with respect to said needle ring and actuatable by operation of said third pedal.

20. The binding machine according to claim 2, wherein said needle positioning means includes a counter-stop mounted on said needle ring for rotation therewith and engagement with said shiftable stop, and a spring loaded one-way abutment mounted on said needle ring for preventing movement of said shiftable stop rotationally away from said counter-stop after engagement therewith.

21. The binding machine according to claim 20, said power means including a main drive shaft; said shiftable stop being mounted on said main drive shaft for rotation therewith and axial displacement with respect thereto; elastic means provided drivingly between said shiftable stop and said main drive shaft to provide a flexible connection therebetween.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,560,435 7/ 1951 Grandnom 112-25 3,103,902 9/1963 Peloggio 112-25 3,219,003 11/1965 Darandik 112-25 3,292,563 12/1966 Matthews 112-25 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 112-219 

